CONSUMER'S VOICE BLOG

If you’re considering doing a kitchen remodeling or bath remodeling project, it’s good to understand what the rest of the country thinks about it. Knowing what the majority of people like, dislike or are spending their money on will help you get the best bang for your...

A picture is worth 1,000 words, so they say. This is also true when communicating what you want your new kitchen to look like and function like to your designer. If you create a digital scrapbook of your kitchen ideas you want in your kitchen, it’s very easy for your...

Lots of people wonder, “is it a good time to remodel my kitchen?” There are many things to consider when thinking about timing, but one of the strongest gauges to help you is the strength of the economy; particularly the existing home market. Even if you aren’t...

Mobile technology is here to stay. There are so many different kinds of devices that it’s now very affordable to have them almost everywhere. There is no better place than the kitchen to utilize them in new ways. Here are some creative ways to get you to take your...

When it comes to remodeling a kitchen or bath, knowing the order in which it is recommended to do things can save a lot of headaches. You don’t want people coming in and working on top of each other, nor do you want them to damage work that has already been done. When...

If you are just starting your process of remodeling or choosing cabinets for your new kitchen a lot has changed over the past few years. There are a lot more door styles than there used to be and some of the terms used probably mean nothing to you without a picture...

The Big Boxes (i.e. Home Depot, Lowes) sell a lot of cabinets…or do they? When you look at the overall numbers, yes, they DO sell a lot of cabinets (measured in the billions!). BUT, when you look at each store, the numbers match more of a “mom and pop” style of...

One common dilemma homeowners face when remodeling their kitchen is what countertop is right for their kitchen. It can be pretty overwhelming when trying to choose the right countertop material. By learning about the different materials, and the pros and cons of each,...

Anyone that has been through one knows the pain and effort involved in a kitchen or bath remodel. One thing we don’t talk about enough, but that is VERY real, is the JOY that comes once the remodel is complete. There is one thing that we can’t truly describe in an...

Open kitchens are still going strong. Granite and Quartz rule the countertop-world. Mixing countertop materials is popular. You can learn a lot from the trends revealed in industry studies. These trends and many others are discussed every year when Houzz does their...

If you’re like most people that have had the thought of taking on a kitchen remodel, you’ve asked yourself the question “when is the right time to remodel my kitchen?”. This question has been important over recent years of the downturn in the economy, but even MORE...

If you’re one of those people who need reassurance on any decision you make, you’re not alone. Maybe you’ve wanted to remodel your kitchen for years, but since the cabinets haven’t yet fallen off of the wall, you just don’t see the need. It’s kind of like when you...

A day dedicated to loving - what's not to love about that? Many people dread this day, but we think that's silly. No one says you have to direct your attention only to a "true love" (although, if you have one, you should probably at least show a little bit of...

There is no lack of advice online these days when it comes to any topic, but sometimes it can be difficult to sort through the clutter. As you begin a project as costly and important as a remodeling project, you’ll want to make sure you prepare adequately. While you...

You have finally decided to replace your existing countertops, but are now left with the daunting (or fun…depending on whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist) task of choosing a material. Have you ever thought about recycled paper countertops? Hold up…did you just...

A remodel isn’t always about just wanting new cabinets. More often than not, a remodeling project starts because the shape of the space isn’t working for you any longer. And while it may seem easy to bust down a few walls and change the placement of a few key pieces,...

Choosing a range is one of the many important decisions to be made in a kitchen remodel. If your budget is flexible and you’re looking to impress others and exceed all of your cooking goals, there are many options out there for you to consider. Electric Range Electric...

Your steady diet of watching HGTV has convinced you that you can remodel your own bathroom. You may be brave, and you may be crazy; there’s no way to tell yet. Consult this list of warnings to determine if you’re ready to jump into the deep end of DIY bathroom...

I am sometimes ok with organizing things when it comes to my home, but the ugly wires behind my TV drive me crazy. In my house we have 3 different video game consoles, surround sound system, an antenna (Yes we have an antenna for our HDTV. Yes we decided to get rid...

Figuring out where you should put items in your kitchen can be a big chore. But, keeping an organized kitchen will help you from feeling overwhelmed daily; and once you tackle the hurdle of finding places to put everything, it won’t seem like a chore anymore. The...

You downsized to a smaller condo or apartment. You chose a classic, older home without many modern updates. Or, perhaps you’re adding a second functional kitchen in your home in order to create a rental or mother-in-law suite. Whatever the reason, you may find...

It's easy to put everything on your wants list when it comes to your kitchen remodel, but for many of us, that just isn't practical. Sure, a chef's kitchen would look pretty amazing in your place, but if you're not going to use it, you're just paying all of that...

The corner of any kitchen is often the hardest area to design well. With cabinets, drawers and appliances that all open outward, collisions will happen if it gets too crowded, but it can also become wasted dead space as well. Consider these solutions to get the most...

A friend and I were having a wild and crazy weekend night watching HGTV. The prospective home buyer in the show we were watching was in search of a Spice Kitchen. It was very important to her! She had a Spice Kitchen in her current home and simply would not consider...

Football has officially started and it’s everywhere in almost every conversation. To help you choose which flooring to use for the bathroom or the kitchen, let’s have some fun and play out the game. Kitchen for the first down Ease of cleaning and durability are top...

Where do your party guests end up? For me, the answer is the same every time… gathered in the kitchen. And as the food and drinks flow, so does the conversation. I love that my kitchen is a warm and inviting place to gather. A great way to give your kitchen a warm...

It’s that time of year again. The smell of pumpkin spice is in the air and orange and black colors are popping up everywhere. Autumn is here. With that, comes fun designing trends. One big way to design for the season is to change the look and feel of any room with...

Everyone today wants to have an island in their kitchen – it’s all the rage – but many kitchens don’t have room for them. Therefore, homeowners either squeeze an island in – a common remodeling mistake - or leave them out altogether. There’s another option, though -...

Do you ever feel like your lives are too busy, and you barely have time to spend with just the two of you? Turning your master bedroom into a sanctuary will allow you to have more of that quality time with each other. First impressions are the most memorable. If you...

The air is getting crisp, school buses are driving by again, and you’re inexplicably craving a pumpkin spice latte. It can mean only one thing… Fall is back! Fall has so much to enjoy… football, cool weather, peace and quiet as the kids head off to school. Don’t get...

If you are like me, you hate hearing the pitter patter of your 85lb dog walking/running across the hardwood floors every morning. On the other hand, that sound could be used as a warning for the soon to be wet slobbery kiss in your face. Many homeowners love the idea...

Are you the type of person who likes to do everything yourself? In the age of Pinterest, blogging and YouTube, it’s tough to stumble upon a project that doesn’t also have some sort of step-by-step instruction tutorial available online. Everyone is an expert these...

Ever wonder what that smell is when you open the refrigerator, how it got so packed with food so quickly, or what the sticky stuff on the bottom of the mayonnaise jar is? Cleaning a refrigerator can sometimes get behind schedule, or feel like a never ending chore, but...

Visiting a showroom without having done prior research can make you feel like you’re getting ready to take a test that you didn’t study for. You might head in with the mentality that “a cabinet is a cabinet,” but you’ll probably walk out realizing you need to prepare...

Laundry rooms are no longer being overlooked in homes. They are actually becoming a very popular area to remodel. The average family does more than 400 loads of laundry each year (I know…it makes me tired just thinking about it). Think about your current laundry...

Whether you are just moving into a home that needs a little TLC, or you are wanting to remodel after years in your family home, eventually your cabinets will need replacing. But it’s tough to know what to choose when there are so many options, especially for someone...

Lighting up a room isn’t as easy as flipping a switch. It is important to think about the type of lighting you want and how to choose fixtures to reflect your style and taste. Below are some things to consider when choosing lighting for your home: Make a Plan Choose...

If you have kids in the home (or if you have kids visit from time to time) you know that not everything was designed with them in mind. While it doesn’t make sense for everyone to do a complete overhaul of their bathroom space to make everything reachable and...

Choosing a material for your countertops can be a huge decision – one that you’ll have to stick with for years (unless you’re remodeling for resale, of course). In part 1 of this post, we overviewed some popular countertop options and key characteristics of each. ...

Every person is unique, so why should our kitchens all be the same? As many choices as there are for cabinet designs and finishes, they’re still all pretty similar. The same goes for major kitchen appliances, so if you’re not quite ready to remodel, but want a kitchen...